Shoe ventilator



Aug. l5, 1967 R. l.. sTEc 3,335,505

SHOE VENTILATOR Filed ooi. 21. 1966 3,335,505 SHOE VENTILATOR Richard L. Stec, 2331 W. Farragut Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60625 Filed (Ict. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 588,378 8 Claims. (Cl. 36-3) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A Ventilator device is used in a shoe having a heel, an arch, and a toe. The ventilator has an outer substantially flat pouch which is co-extensive with the heel portion and with the arch portion .of the shoe, the pouch being an air impermeable moisture-proof material. An inlet opening is provided in the upper wall of the pouch and is aligned with the heel portion. An outlet is located at the front of the pouch for directing air toward the toe 4of the shoe. A resilient mass of material having a large portion of Void volume is coniined within the pouch so that as a foot applies pressure to the resilient mass, air is forced from the pouch to the toe and also acts to draw air into the pouch as pressure is relieved by the foot.

This invention relates to a device for use in a shoe to circulate air therein to provide for ventilation of a shoe particularly as a person walks.

It is well known that many people suffer from substantial discomfort of the feet .as a result of heat and moisture which is normally generated Within a shoe as a person walks. Not only are these conditions of heat and moisture uncomfortable, but such conditions can cause diseases of the feet.

Various devi-ces for Ventilating a shoe are known in the art. However, all of the known prior art devices suffer from significant drawbacks. Drawbacks .of the known devices are that they are relatively complicated in construction and are thus expensive to construct. Also, the known devices are bulky in construction and when placed in a shoe are uncomfortable to the wearer. Many of these prior art devices take up a substantial amount of space within the confines of the shoe and in many cases, the user of such devices would need a specially constructed shoe before such a vdevice could be used. Also, some of the prior art devices require the use of air inlet or outlet means which extend up between the inside of the shoe and the foot and thereby add to the discomfort of the wearer. For these reasons, there is no known commercially available device which forcibly circulates air through the interior of a shoe to provide comfort for the wearer by reducing moisture and heat within the shoe.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide a device for Ventilating the interior of shoes which substantially avoids disadvantages of prior art devices.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved Ventilating device for shoes and the like which is compact, simple, and economical in construction.

It is further an important object of this invention to provide an improved Ventilating device for shoes which is comfortable for the wearer.

Further purposes and objects of this invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

One particular embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View showing one of my improved shoe Ventilating devices positioned within a shoe before pressure is being applied thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a View taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

3,335,505 Patented Aug. l5, 1967 FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE l except that the Ventilating device is shown as pressure is being applied thereto so as to force air through the shoe.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional View of my Ventilating device taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE -6 is a perspective view of the air outlet portion of my shoe Ventilating device as air is being drawn into the device; and

FIGURE 7 is a View like FIGURE 6 except that it shows the outlet means in the open position when air is being forced therefrom.

Referring to the drawings, my shoe ventilator device 10 is shown positioned Within a shoe su-ch as in FIGURES 1-3. The shoe S has a heel portion, generally H, an arch portion, generally A, a sole portion, generally S', and a toe portion, generally T. The Ventilator 10 is substantially co-extensive with the heel portion H and with the arch portion A.

The ventilator device 10 is formed by a lower wall 12 and an upper wall 14. The walls 12 and 14 have the same peripheral conformation and are sealably joined along their outer peripheries to define a sealed edge 16. The entire peripheral edge 16 is sealed except for the projecting front portion 18 of the ventilator 10 where an outlet opening 20 is defined `between the upper and lower walls 14 and 12, the seal 16 being discontinuous at this area.

The Iupper wall 14 includes a plurality of openings 22, positioned centrally of the heel portion H of the shoe S. The openings 22 provide an inlet for Ventilating air to the pouch or enclosed space formed between the upper and lower walls 14 and 12. The openings 22 are designed to be aligned with the bottom of the heel portion of Ia persons foot so that the heel of the foot actually acts as a check valve to avoid egress of air from the inlet .opening 22 as the foot presses downwardly on the device 10.

The front portion 1S of the ventilator pouch 10 constitutes a forward projection which is offset from the longitudinal axis of the Ventilator 10 and of the shoe S. The front portion 18 is located at the arch A where a persons foot is normally raised so that air is readily directed from the .outlet 20 to the arch area A and therefrom to the sole portion S and to the toe portion T. By locating the outlet 20 at the arch A, a persons foot normally does not move downwardly against the upper wall 14 to resist opening of the outlet 20.

The upper and lower walls 14 and 12 are constructed of a suitable air impervious, moisture-proof material which is advantageously heat scalable so that the seal 16 is formed by heat sealing. A highly satisfactory material has -been found to be thin Vinyl.

A resilient mass 24 which contains a large proportion of void volume is provided within the Ventilator 10 so that air iills a substantial proportion of the space therein. The

resilient mass 24 is a fibrous material, as glass liber matting, or a foam plastic, such as foamed polyurethane. The resilient mass 24 functions to lill the space enclosed by the walls 12 and 14 with air as pressure is relieved from the heel portion of the -device 10. Air enters through the inlet openings 22, after passing between the foot and the inside walls of `the shoe, as pressure is released when a wearer takes a step and lifts his heel from contact with the top wall 14 of the ventilator 10. The resilient mass 24 lifts the wall 14 substantially to the position shown in FIG- URES 1 and 4 so that air is drawn in through the inlets 22 to till the voids of the resilient mass 24 within the chamber defined by the lower and upper walls 12 and 14. Even in the fully raised position, the ventilator 10 is substantially fiat, such as about three-eighths of an inch, so that it is not uncomfortable for the weaner to use. As

3 pressure is applied by the wearers heel, as shown in FIG- URE 3, the heel of the foot while acting as a check valve to close off the openings 22, simultaneously compresses the resilient mass 24 to force air outwardly through the outlet opening 2.0.

The design of the outlet is considered to be important and this is shown most clearly in FIGURES 6 and 7. As -air is being forced outwardly through the opening, it has the general appearance of FIGURE 7 where the air pressure caused by the movement of the heel against the ventilator 10 forces air from insider the ventillator 10 outwardly through the outlet 20. The air is directed forwardly in the shoe from the arch A to the sole S and toe T of the shoe, The outlet 20 normally is a substantially horizontal slit. As air is being taken into the ventilator 10 through the openings 22, exterior air pressure acts against the walls 12 and 14 at the front portion 18 of the ventilator 1G so that the outlet 20 actually collapses to prevent the ingress or egress of `air through the opening 20. As air is directed to the forward portion of the shoe through the outlet 20, air in the shoe is displaced and is forced out of the shoe betweeen the spaces formed between the shoe and the wearers foot.

Preferably, the intake openings 22 in the upper wall 14 should not have a combined cross-sectional area of more than about one square inch so that the heel of a persons foot will properly act as a check valve while at the same time the cross-sectional area is sufficient to minimize the time required for the resilient mass 24 to lift the upper wall 14 to draw air into the ventilator 10. The air passes between the heel and the upper wall 14 during the intake stroke. As to the outlet opening, the opening cross-sectional area is preferably designed to give maximum velocity t-o the escaping air with full compression to the ventilator 19 so that substantially all the air thereinis forced through the opening 20 when the pressure is applied to the ventilator 14 during a normal step.

From the description of the ventilator 10, it is seen that all of the foregoing objects have been accomplished. The ventilator 10 is of a highly simple construction and consist-s primarily of Abut two parts, the resilient mass 24 and the pouch defined by the upper and lower walls 14 and 12. This simple construction is highly economical and requires the use of only inexpensive materials. The device 10 is small in size as it extends primarily only over the arch and heel portion of the shoe. The article is ready compressible and causes substantially no discomfort to the wearer. At the same time, Ythe device 10 provides a highly effective circulation of air within the shoe to provide the desired reduction of moisture and heat therein. Also, when in use' it is desirable that the ventilator be anchored in place within the shoe by some suitable means, such as double .sided adhesive tape (not shown).

While in the foregoing there has been provided a dei tailed description of one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that all equivalents obvious to those having skill in the art are to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed,

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ventilator device for a shoe having a heel portion, an arch portion, 4and a toe portion, said Ventilating device comprising a substantially flat enclosed pouch member substantially co-extensive with said heel portion and with said arch portion, said pouch member being of an air impermeable moisture-proof material, said pouch having an upper wall and a front portion located at said arch portion, inlet means in said upper wall and aligned with said heel portion, outlet means at said front portion for directing air to said toe portion, and a resilient mass of material having a large proportion of void volume and being conned within said pouch, said resilient mass being of a compressible and expandable moisture-proof material, said resilient mass acting to draw air into said pouch and into said voids through said inlet means as pressure from a foot is relieved from said pouch and also acting to force air from said pouch through said outlet means as the heel of a foot applies pressure to said pouch and closes said inlet means.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said resilient mass is a fibrous mass.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein Said resilient mass is a foamed plastic.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein said foamed plastic is foamed polyurethane.

5. The article of claim 1 wherein said at pouch member comprises an upper wall and a lower wall made of thin plastic air impermeable moisture-proof material, said inlet means is an opening in said upper wall, and said outlet means is defined between said upper and lower walls and acts to direct air forward in said shoe.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein said outlet means comprises a forwardly directed opening which is constructed and arranged to open as air is -being forced therethrough and to collapse as air is being drawn into the punch lthrough said inlet means.

7. The article of claim 6 wherein said pouch includes a lower wall which is in intimate contact with said upper wall at said front portion, said outlet opening being defined between said upper and lower walls, said upper and lower walls lbeing in contact with each other as air is being drawn into said cham-ber through said inlet means and being spaced from each other as air is being forced through said outlet means.

S. The article of claim 1 wherein said inlet means comprises a `plurality of openings in said upper wall in alignment with said heel portion, the total cross-sectional area of said openings having a maximum of about one square inch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,403,970 1/1922 LiOy 36-3 2,604,707 7/1952 Hicks 36--3 3,060,599 10/1962 Okuyama 36-3 3,180,039 4/1965 Burns 36--3 PATRICK D, LAlVSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A VENTILATOR DEVICE FOR A SHOE HAVING A HEEL PORTION, AN ARCH PORTION, AND A TOE PORTION, SAID VENTILATING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ENCLOSED POUCH MEMBER SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVE WITH SAID HEEL PORTION AND WITH SAID ARCH PORTION, SAID POUCH MEMBER BEING OF AN AIR IMPERMEABLE MOISTURE-PROOF MATERIAL, SAID POUCH HAVING AN UPPER WALL AND A FRONT PORTION LOCATED AT SAID ARCH PORTION, INLET MEANS IN SAID UPPER WALL AND ALIGNED WITH SAID HEEL PORTION, OUTLET MEANS AT SAID FRONT PORTION FOR DIRECTING AIR TO SAID TOE PORTION, AND A RESILIENT MASS OF MATERIAL HAVING A LARGE PROPORTION OF VOID VOLUME AND BEING CONFINED WITHIN SAID POUCH, SAID RESILIENT MASS BEING OF A COMPRESSIBLE AND EXPANDABLE MOISTURE-PROOF MATERIAL, SAID RESILIENT MASS ACTING TO DRAW AIR INTO SAID POUCH AND INTO SAID VOIDS THROUGH SAID INLET MEANS AS PRESSURE FROM A FOOT IS RELIEVED FROM SAID POUCH AND ALSO ACTING TO FORCE AIR FROM SAID POUCH THROUGH SAID OUTLET MEANS AS THE HEEL OF A FOOT APPLIES PRESSURE TO SAID POUCH AND CLOSES SAID INLET MEANS. 